The scoring around the league picked up in Week 2, and there are some exciting quarterback matchups to exploit in Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season. But before we get to the Week 3 fantasy football quarterback rankings, let's take a look at some potential streaming options on your waiver wire and our favorite FanDuel DFS plays on the main slate for Week 3.

 

Streaming QB options

Brock Purdy, SF (vs NYG): Purdy probably isn't available in your league, but if he was left on the wire, he's an extremely viable matchup against a Giants defense that has been shredded through two games. The 49ers are going to move the ball as well as any offense this year, and although Purdy won't throw it 40 times a game, he's efficient enough and has the kind of playmakers who can get him to top-12 finishes regularly via touchdowns.

Kenny Pickett, PIT (@LV): Nothing about Monday night's performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers should give you a ton of confidence, but there are limited quality streaming options available and Pickett gets one of the more favorable matchups against the Las Vegas Raiders, who have allowed the 10th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. With the Raiders struggling to run the ball with any success, Pickett should have some short fields to work with.

 

Favorite FanDuel DFS plays

Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs LAC) – FD $7800: No one is averaging more fantasy points per game at the quarterback position than Kirk Cousins, and he gets a juicy matchup against the Chargers in a game that has a 51.5 projected point total. With plenty of viable stacking options (T.J. Hockenson, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison) and the complete inability to run the ball, Cousins could put up another monster performance off sheer volume once again despite having six other quarterbacks priced higher than him on the main slate.

Russell Wilson, DEN (@ MIA) – FD $7400: It seems like people are still feeling the burn from last year and are staying away from Wilson, which makes him a nice contrarian play in Week 3. The pace of this game could be wild, as the Broncos are averaging the most points per drive through two weeks and the Dolphins aren't afraid to chuck it around the field. With top target Jerry Jeudy back and affordable (FD $6100), a small Broncos stack with some Dolphins on the other side makes a lot of sense.

 

Players to avoid

Daniel Jones, NYG (@ SF): With Saquon Barkley almost certainly out on a short week, Jones will be without his top playmaker and should sink accordingly in the fantasy football quarterback rankings. The Giants looked dreadful through the first six quarters before mounting a wild comeback against the lowly Cardinals. Jones can always get you home with some rushing, and the 49ers defense has historically been susceptible to that, but there's little reason to have faith Jones can effectively move the ball downfield in this matchup.

Jordan Love, GB (vs NO): The Saints defense is for real, putting up 10 straight games dating back to last year of holding their opponents under 20 points. Love has looked good in his first two games, but this isn't the Bears or Falcons defense he'll catch in Week 3. With Aaron Jones questionable and the Saints being able to provide pressure by just rushing four, Love should be on fantasy benches.

 

Week 3 – Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

1. Patrick Mahomes, KC (vs CHI)

2. Justin Herbert, LAC (@ MIN)

3. Josh Allen, BUF (@ WAS)

4. Jalen Hurts, PHI (@ TB)

5. Lamar Jackson, BAL (vs IND)

6. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs LAC)

7. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (vs DEN)

8. Trevor Lawrence, JAX (vs HOU)

9. Dak Prescott, DAL (@ ARI)

10. Justin Fields, CHI (@ KC)

11. Russell Wilson, DEN (@ MIA)

12. Anthony Richardson, IND (@ BAL)

13. Brock Purdy, SF (vs NYG)

14. Jared Goff, DET (vs ATL)

15. Geno Smith, SEA (vs CAR)

16. Deshaun Watson, CLE (vs TEN)

17. Matthew Stafford, LAR (@ CIN)

18. Derek Carr, NO (@GB)

19. Daniel Jones, NYG (@ SF)

20. Sam Howell, WAS (vs BUF)

21. Kenny Pickett, PIT (@ LV)

22. Jimmy Garoppolo, LV (vs PIT)

23. C.J. Stroud, HOU (@ JAX)

24. Jordan Love, GB (vs NO)

 

Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings Notes

Patrick Mahomes hasn't been overly impressive thus far, but the Bears defense has been shredded by Jordan Love and Baker Mayfield, so this feels like a “get-right” matchup at home with Travis Kelce back at full strength…Justin Herbert is playing in a must-win game with the week's highest projected point total, so he jumps a few of the usuals in the Week 3 QB rankings…Josh Allen reminded us last week what he's capable of, and the Commanders shouldn't be able to offer much resistance…

Jalen Hurts has been alarmingly inefficient throwing the ball, but the “tush push” is borderline unstoppable and the rushing upside and squeaky wheel potential with AJ Brown always keeps his QB ranking high…Lamar Jackson connected last week with stud rookie Zay Flowers on a deep ball, and the Colts are allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to receivers so far…Kirk Cousins is the Kirkland brand of quarterbacks — similar production and value of an elite quarterback, just in rather plain packaging…

Tua Tagovailoa let the running game take center stage against the Patriots in Week 2, but don't forget he ripped off 466 yards in a shootout in Week 1…Trevor Lawrence and the Jags offense have something to prove after sputtering against the Chiefs, and the poor Texans might get the brunt of it…Dak Prescott might have to get his touchdown scores in early, as it seems highly unlikely the Cardinals can keep this game competitive for very long…Will someone please, please call an RPO for Justin Fields? The hope here is that he can rack up garbage time stats against a good Chiefs defense…

This might be too low for Russell Wilson in the Week 3 rankings, as he's cooking again under Sean Payton and may be playing from behind against a dangerous Dolphins offense…Anthony Richardson has exited his first two games with injury, but the rushing upside (as we've seen) is impossible to ignore and he belongs near the top-12 in quarterback rankings every week…Brock Purdy could be without Brandon Aiyuk on Thursday, but there are plenty of playmakers to go around against a Giants defense that's been a welcoming mat thus far…

Jared Goff rarely turns it over and should be leaned on more with David Montgomery banged up and the Lions utilizing Jahmyr Gibbs as more of a receiver out of the backfield…Geno Smith bounced back in Week 2 and gets bumped back up accordingly in the Week 3 QB rankings…You should probably wait and see with Deshaun Watson, but at least on paper, Tennessee is very beatable through the air and there's no more Nick Chubb in Cleveland…

Matthew Stafford can be bumped higher up the fantasy Week 3 QB rankings if Joe Burrow actually plays, but the Rams can probably be a little more conservative running the ball if Burrow is indeed out…Derek Carr looks great between the 20s, and then melts down in the red zone. Taysom Hill is ready to vulture some scoring opportunities…Daniel Jones is a Hail Mary play for some rushing stats…

Sam Howell has looked good and will be higher in the fantasy football rankings, but this isn't the week against a stingy Bills pass defense…Kenny Pickett hasn't even looked at Pat Freiermuth this year, who might be his best bet against the Raiders…C.J. Stroud is going to take sacks and make mistakes, but the Texans can't run even a little bit behind a banged up offensive line. He might get there purely on volume like he did last week…Jordan Love is low in the Week 3 QB rankings due to his matchup, but he'll be back in future weeks.